Southie
by So Said the Dragon
Summary: He'd always heard chicks from South Boston were tough. When a he finds a lovely piece of Irish making herself at home on the Deuce's block, he can't help but find out if the rumors are true.
1. Fireworks

A/N - A series of one shots, pertaining to the relationship between Marco and an original character. Do enjoy. And to those reading other stories of mine, they're coming along. I'm afraid I have a bit of writer's block.

As always - rate, review, and favorite! Couldn't do it without you.

Fireworks

The fair was pointless. He hated it, had hated it since he was a kid. It was a breeding ground for the insects calling themselves the Deuces, and just by being there, he was risking a turf war he wasn't particularly in the mood for. He didn't exactly get a choice, however. Devin had made up her mind she was going, with or without him.

"Quit bein' such a fuckin' pussy." She announced as they lingered in a dark corner of the fair, away from the Deuces. Philly and Vinny had accompanied them, along with several other of the Vipers who remained outside the gates, just in case.

"Scuze me?" Just his tone usually cowed women, but he knew better than to think it would work on her. _Stone cold Irish bitch - _he would have defended her against the Deuces' assessment, if it hadn't been so accurate. She laughed in the face of things that made grown men cry – she didn't even bat an eye when she started insulting him.

"You fuckin' heard me. You're actin' like a little fuckin' bitch." She had one hand on her hip and a cigarette between her lips. Her leather jacket creaked as she shifted her weight, bringing up one arm to rest on her hip. "I'm goin' to the fuckin' fair, whether you're comin' or not. Might see if that Donald kid will win me one of those stuffed bears, since you're to much of a bitch to-."

Philly shot forward as he charged her, ready to intervene, even though she'd already proven he'd have a hell of a time trying to take her down. His shoulder landed in her stomach, but rather than knock the wind out of her and take her to the ground, he used his momentum to heave her up into a fireman's carry. Her hands slapped against the smooth leather of his jacket as she squealed, half-heartedly kicking her feet. He braced her firmly with one hand on her ass, delivering a sharp smack that drew the attention of several people waiting in line to get cotton candy.

"You want a bear, huh? I'll win you a fuckin' bear."

He stopped at the darts game, only because she demanded to be put down so she could play. She managed to pop two of the larger balloons, earning herself a little white bear she could easily stuff into her purse. As with all things between them, the friendly game became a competition. Fueled by the desire to defeat her, he popped three small balloons and two large ones. She picked the largest toy they had – a big, stupid blue gorilla with an "I heart U" on the chest and a kiss mark on the cheek.

She carried the unholy abomination of fur around on her back as they milled about, even seating it beside her as they stopped to eat. As he expected, the fair was incredibly boring, but it kept Devin entertained and even though he was constantly on guard, he was starting to enjoy the night off.

"That thing is hideous." He announced, leaning back against the wood planks, reasonably confident in their ability to protect his back. She turned to glare at him.

"That thing has a fuckin' name."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. His name is Abernathy."

"The fuck kind of name is Abernathy?"

"The kind of fuckin' name you give to a fuckin' stuffed gorilla." She snapped. "Now eat your fuckin' fries, alright?"

They were just leaving the table when Bobby spied them. Leon's impetuous kid brother had always been a bit of a thorn in everyone's side, but especially his. His hatred for Marco had only gotten stronger when he realized the reason Devin refused to date him was because she had a thing for the recently released convict in charge of the gang that killed his brother. He started to stalk towards them, but Leon and Betsy appeared from down the fairway.

The leader of the Deuces looked them over. Four versus two, though other Deuces were coming out of the woodwork to join in case their was a fight. Though Marco was weighing the odds, he could tell Leon was seeing the bigger picture. He nodded their way and ushered Bobby and the others to walk away.

They weren't Vipers and Deuces that night. While they were there, out with their girls, enjoying themselves, they were just two men. It was a temporary truce that would only last until one of their men did something stupid, or until the night was over, but Leon didn't want to ruin his night with Betsy anymore than he wanted to ruin Marco's time with Devin. When they were out of sight, he started leading her in the opposite direction, towards the rides.

He made her pass of Abernathy to Philly and ordered him to put the thing in the car. He stood in the line for tickets with his arm over her shoulders, impatiently waiting for the line to move. He'd prefer to just bribe his way onto a ride, but Devin had never been to a fair in her life, and he wanted her to get the full experience. It also gave Philly and Vinny time to get out to the car and back – he sent them both, concerned Bobby might try something stupid. If the Deuces tried anything with him while they were gone, they'd have both him and Devin to answer to, and she could hold her own.

He gave the order for Philly and Vinny to stick around the area while they went into the fun house. There weren't any Deuces in the area, and Leon had no doubt gotten word out that they weren't to be bothered unless they started it. He ushered her into the doorway first, forcing her into the short, dark hall. It quickly led to a room lined with railings and metal floor plates.

Devin stepped on one and shrieked as it began to toss her from side to side. Her hands flew out and latched onto the metal railing as she was tossed in one direction, then the other, snapping back and forth.

"You fuckin' cunt!" She shouted so loudly everyone outside must have heard. "The least you can fuckin' do is give me some fuckin' warning!"

She stumbled forward until she was on solid footing again, spinning around to glare at him. He crossed the metal plate in two big strides, grinning down at her as he ushered her along. Wary now, she was half prepared for the next plate to sling her forward and nearly into the padded wall, managing to catch herself before it could throw her backwards and into him. They continued on that way, passing over the moving plates until they were met with a short flight of stairs.

She descended slowly, much to his amusement. The hall they were greeted with was short, covered in black paint and lined with warping mirrors. She wasn't particularly entertained by her contorted features, though she broke into peels of laughter when one in particular gave him a distended head and a stick figure body. He gave her a firm swat on the ass to send her on her way, into the hall of mirrors.

"This is some fuckin' nightmare shit." She announced, hands out in front of her, preventing herself from bumping into a mirror face first.

"It's not so bad." He replied. He closed in behind her, pressing up against her back as his arms circled around her waist. "Perfect place to mess around."

"Yeah. Sure." She grinned, but made no effort to get loose. He brought his hand down, towards the hem of her jeans, sinking the tips of his fingers within the band. She made a contented noise and leaned back against him, head against his shoulder and eyes shut tight. He was ready to move his hand farther when laughter tore through the air. Kids were hurrying along down the metal pathway, so he ushered her along, leading her towards the exit of the maze.

They rose up a few stairs, then down again. Between them and the outside world were three obstacles – two spinning tubes, and a ball pit. Devin staggered her way across the spinning tube, nearly falling face first into the pit when her feet hit solid ground. He was perfectly at home on the awkwardly moving surface, and wasn't afraid to flaunt his ability to stay on it. She glared at him before descending into the waist deep pit.

A cut out of a clown shot up from the ground to her right, flinging little plastic balls across the room. She screamed so loudly he was sure horror directors would be lining up to cast her in their next film if they'd been around to hear it. She raised her fists to punch the thing, but stopped when she heard him laughing.

"What kind of sick fuck puts a fuckin' clown in a fuckin' ball pit?" She shouted, wading along ahead of him, only to scream again when another popped up. "_Motherfucker_!"

He laughed so hard he fell off the spinning tube and stumbled into the pit. She did reach out and punch the second clown, landing a glancing blow off of its brightly painted face. He moved along behind her, snickering as she grumbled her way to the exit, finally stumbling over the last spinning tube and out into the metal walkway. Several people were snickering behind the backs of their hands, but stopped suddenly when they realized the terrified woman wasn't alone – and more importantly, that she was with the most violent man in Brooklyn.

A satisfied smirk threatened to break out over his face as he saw the fear in their eyes. He'd worked very hard to put it there, and was glad to see spending some time with his girl didn't damage his well earned reputation. Most of the people in town were just as afraid to cross her as they were of him – any slight against her would bring the Vipers down on their heads.

Philly and Vinny were waiting by the ticket booth. There were still no signs of trouble, but the Deuces were getting closer.

"I want to go on the Ferris wheel." She announced, as if she knew he was thinking of leaving. "Just take me on once, then we can go."

Hoping his temporary truce with Leon would stand, he followed her towards the rotating wheel. A number of young couples and families were in line, waiting patiently for their carriage. He kept his arm over her shoulder, leaning in to talk quietly in her ear. A high school girl two couples ahead kept looking back over her shoulder with envy and lust in her eyes. Devin caught her staring the third time she glanced back, and true to form, yanked his chin to turn him towards her.

She stood on her toes as she kissed him, an open mouthed affair entirely inappropriate for a public setting, but he wasn't the type who cared about manners or propriety. It ended all too quickly, and she pulled back, gently nipping his bottom lip as she dropped back to her flat feet. Everyone had the good sense to avert their eyes, except a handful of small children and high school age boys, who nudged one another excitedly. The high school girl, who was hardly a threat to the hotheaded piece of Irish under his arm, flushed and turned away with her nose in the air.

He sank his fingers between her braid and the back of her head, between the tight strands of hair. Tried to pull her back in, but she'd decided she proved her point, and refused to move her head with a gentle shake. He moved to press close to her, but the gate to the ride opened, and revealed their empty carriage. She slid her hand into his and hurried him up the ramp, onto the suspended bench. The ride operator put the metal bar down, where it clinked into place. He took advantage of the moment, spreading out his arms and legs to relax. She immediately wriggled into the space beneath his arm, pressing up against his ribs.

"Thanks for takin' me out tonight." She blurted quietly as the carriage began to rise. "I know you didn't want to, with the Deuces and shit, but...I appreciate it."

He glanced down at her as the carriage began to reach the peak of the wheel. Her guard was down, eyes on his boots rather than his face. It wasn't often she was like that, and he was never sure how to handle it. He opened his mouth to say something, anything, when a loud bang burst through the air. He immediately jumped to attention, thinking things were about to go down at the worst possible moment, before he was met with the sight of a glimmering red explosion, high in the black sky above them.

Devin pushed herself forward, rocking the carriage precariously. A grin broke out across her face.

"Fireworks! I fuckin' love fireworks!"


	2. Coffee

Coffee

He saw her ass a mile away. He'd picked it out of the crowd the first day he saw her, and he'd been able to do so ever since. It wasn't just that it was perfect, but she had a distinct little stride, and she was probably the only woman who could look that attractive in lime green scrubs. He slowed the convertible as he pulled up towards the curb, drawing the attention of everyone in the area – but especially the attention of the three women she was talking with.

He knew she was a nurse. She'd mentioned it more than once, and he'd even dropped her off at the hospital during the week her Oldsmobile was in the shop. It didn't really hit him, however, until he saw her walking and laughing with the three other women, coffees in one hand and purses in the other. He'd never pictured her as a Suzie Homemaker type, the kind who looked like they went back to their white house and picket fence in the suburbs and cooked dinner for their rich husband and 2.5 kids, but watching her interact with the other nurses, that was the only thing he could think of.

That wasn't her though. The real her was loud and crass, swearing left and right and slinging insults around like they were nothing. She was kinky and filthy, ready and willing to do the nasty shit other women wouldn't even consider. She didn't want the good life that came from a husband who had twenty years at the law firm – she wanted the fast, dangerous world of a drug dealing gangster. The woman he was looking at was a pretender, a faux Devin who showed up when there were people around who couldn't handle the real her.

He had been on his way home from the auto shop – his _legitimate _business – with no intention of seeing Devin, but he couldn't pass up the opportunity to make a scene.

He pulled the convertible up just as they were entering the coffee shop, quietly and unobtrusively taking a spot right in their line of vision when they turned around. He didn't think she drank that high-end crap, but she had a cup in hand by the time two girls in the window noticed him. They waved flirtatiously, drawing her friend's attention, who visibly appraised him as she tapped one of the other nurses on the back to get her to look. Devin was too deep in conversation to notice.

"Oh my God." Shea groaned. "He's an absolute babe!"

Devin studiously ignored them, pouring three packets of sugar at a time into her coffee. She utterly loathed Shea, and though she could tolerate Ingrid most days, she couldn't stand the person she became around the older nurse. They'd invited themselves along, claiming they needed coffee to get through the day, when Liddy invited her to get a cup after work.

"I wonder if he has any tattoos." Ingrid chimed.

"Of course he does. It's too bad that jacket is in the way – I bet he's got the body of a god."

"What are you talking about?" Liddy finally asked, peering around her.

"We're talking about _him_."

She finally glanced up stirring her coffee, just a little curious. As if he'd heard her thoughts – which consisted mainly of whether or not he'd be available for some stress relief – Marco had pulled up in his shiny red convertible. He'd gotten out to lean against the side with his arms crossed tight over his chest.

"Oh, he's looking this way!" Ingrid gasped.

He caught her eye and smirked, nodding towards the vehicle. Although she felt it was clear that his eyes had been locked on hers, Shea was immune to the belief a man could be attracted to anyone but her, and swooned slightly. Before she even had the lid on her coffee, the buxom brunette was making her way outside.

For a split second, rage flashed through her – then amusement. She'd been looking for a way to one-up Shea, and Marco was the perfect opportunity. He enjoyed playing with people just as much, if not more, than she did, and there was no doubt he'd play along.

She meandered outside, watching Shea close in on him. He was giving her one word answers, both dismissing her and humoring her bad-boy fantasy at the same time. The oblivious brunette finally got around to asking what his plans were.

"I was gonna go to the club, but then I saw this incredible babe walkin' this way with her friends, 'n' I jus' had to come talk to her. Thought I'd see if she wants to go to this nice little French place up the block, maybe pick up a couple movies, 'n' go back to my place for dessert."

"I would love to." Shea turned towards the rest of them. "Devin, you'll take my shift, right?"

"Now, why would she wanna do a thing like that?"

She slid between him and Shea before the older nurse even realized what was happening, wrapping her arms around his shoulders with her coffee held well away from him. He slid his hands along her ribs and up along her back, pressing her more firmly against him. He was considerably taller than her, and had to hunch slightly in order to hold her properly, putting them nearly nose to nose.

"French, huh?" She asked. "What if I want pizza?"

"Then we'll get you the best slice of Sicilian in Brooklyn."

"And you'll actually let me watch the movie this time? No coppin' a feel?"

"Hands to myself, scouts honor."

She grinned, rising up on her toes to kiss him lightly on the lips.

"Might believe you, 'f you were ever a scout."

"You cannot be serious."

He frowned as she pulled away. Shea had finally found her voice, turning her angry eyes on them. Several people had gathered around to watch the exchange – two half-drunk frat boys were recording it on their phone, as if hoping for a good cat fight to take home and brag about to their brothers. She was determined not to get into a brawl, fearing what Shea would do if she left so much as a mark on her. She slid her arms down, turning to face the raging woman.

"There a problem, Shea?"

"Yeah, there's a problem. You expect me to believe that _the _Marco Vendetti wants a girl like _you_? There's _no _way."

"What makes you think you know what I want, huh?" He surged forward, pressing Shea against the wall of the coffee house with fear alone. "Fuckin' some doctor in the hospital toilet don't make you special. It makes you just like all the other bitches workin' the corner. Only difference is they're smart enough to get paid for bein' a whore, 'n' you're doin' it for free."

Marco wanted to hit her. It was obvious in the way his arm trembled. It was still his first instinct to lash out at anything that made him mad, at anyone. He tempered the urge with the reminder that he'd be thrown right back in jail if he hit a woman in front of witnesses. He pulled back, glaring at the trembling nurse as he turned to Devin, who stood idly by, sipping her coffee. He opened the door for her to get in – something neither of them were used to – and continued to watch the nurse as he walked around the other side.

The engine revved to life before he turned to his passenger.

"So, Sicilian?"

"The biggest, greasiest slice they've got."


End file.
